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23
Infant Welfare Centres. The kind of work carried out at
these centres is now fairly well known, but mention may be made of
lectures and talks to mothers both by the doctor in attendance and
the Health Visitors. By selecting one branch of child welfare for
each lecture certain fundamental facts and principles are explained to
mothers as a whole, and it has been found possible by this means to
lessen-individual teaching and so save time. This is important where,
as at Deptford, the attendance at the clinics has grown so enormously.
The talks include ante-natal subjects, mothercraft, clothing, preparation
of food, etc.
The sale of dried milk, Virol, cod-liver oil and medicines has expanded
considerably, but no more than what is necessary for the
benefit of mothers and children. In no case are these given or continued
without the express order of the doctor. The provision of
cow's milk will be referred to later. With regard to Home Visiting,
the tables appended are sufficient evidence of the large amount of work
done in this direction, and having paid many visits to homes myself,
I can vouch for the high quality of this branch of Mother and Child
Welfare work as carried out by the Health Visitors.
Health Visitors. During the year it was found expedient to
abolish temporary posts and make the change to a permanent staff.
All this tended to consolidate the position, and as will be seen from the
charts has led to greater popularity of the clinics amongst the general
public.
Several points emerged, which, if adopted, should lead to greatly
improved results. The first one is the establishment of a special
Central Clinic (if possible in conjunction with the Maternity Home)
for more severe cases of illness of babies. Again, ample material
could be obtained from cases attending clinics for bacteriological and
other research work, and this would encourage Medical men in the
Borough not only to send children, but attend themselves, if they
thought the work was being carried on scientifically. For we must
remember that to a very large extent the general medical practitioners
have the welfare of the public in their hands, and it is only right they
should have every assistance from the Local Authority and be encouraged
to carry on a high standard of medical practice. In other
words, all possible encouragement should be given to Medical Practitioners
to carry out treatment themselves, and there should be cordial
co-operation between them and the Public Health Committee through
the Medical Officer of Health.